_I saw this recipe on the Simply Recipes website and had to have it. It would be my first attempt at a three layer cake. I even had a fancy frosting gadget this time around (thanks, mom)! Here's what I learned:

I used regular all purpose unbleached flour. Didn't feel like springing for cake flour.

The old pans I used were a little misshapen. When it came time to frost the cakes there were pretty big gaps between layers because of the funky pans. Made it a little tricky to get the frosting on nicely.

My standard cake plate with lid was too short for this big boy. I ended up covering it with multiple layers of plastic wrap which in turn allowed it to dry out faster.

This cake is no joke. You need to either be a serious chocoholic or invite many people over to help you take this down. It's gigantic.

I *gasp* ended up throwing some away. It dried out before it could be eaten.